News & Events

On Saturday 12 September 2009, the congregation of London City Presbyterian Church met together in the headquarters building of London City Mission, just off Tower Bridge, for the induction of Rev. Angus Lamont as minister of the congregation, filling the vacancy created a year previously, when Rev. David Strain accepted the invitation to pastor the Main Street Presbyterian Church in America congregation in Columbus, Mississippi.
The service was conducted by Prof. John McIntosh, Moderator of the Presbytery of Edinburgh and Perth, who preached on the vision and responsibility of the Church as set out in Ephesians 2 and 3.  After Mr Lamont had satisfactorily responded to the induction vows, he was given the right hand of fellowship by Presbytery members and other ministers present.  After Prof. McIntosh had addressed both the new minister and the congregation, he urged all present to bear in mind the significance of what is declared in the closing psalm, 133.  There is a call to unity in the Church, which God promises will lead to blessing, that blessing being the gift of eternal life.  He challenged the congregation to be united in love, and to expect that unity to lead to conversions and the subsequent growth and strengthening of the church’s fellowship and witness.  The hearty and melodious praise that followed indicated the congregation’s desire that this would indeed be a characteristic of the Ministry newly begun.

After the benediction, greetings were read from friends unable to be present, ranging widely from the United States to Canada to Peru to Scotland.  Further greetings were then conveyed by Dr John Nicholls, Executive Director of London City Mission and a former minister of the congregation, and Rev. John Forbes, Moderator of the Northern Presbytery.  Rev. Iain Clements of the International Presbyterian Church, Rev. Chris Kavanagh of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales, and Mr Dick Haffenden, Session Clerk of the sister Free Church congregation in Cobham, welcomed Mr Lamont to London, encouraging him in the work of the Lord and looking forward to cooperation in the work of the Gospel.
The congregation are grateful to London City Mission for their generous hospitality; to the Dornoch congregation for their unselfish support of the Lamont family when they believed it was right to leave and take up the fresh challenge of London; and to the Lamonts for their willingness to face the difficulties inherent in a city-centre congregation, serving such a widely-scattered population.  Above all, they are grateful to God, who has provided them with a minister of the Word and a pastor of the flock after a vacancy of just over a year.  Their desire is to work together in unity as minister, office-bearers, members and supporting friends to glorify God in their worship, and to reach out with the Gospel to the millions of needy people in the nation’s capital.

John M. MacPherson